Slip bobber rig

ABSTRACT

A slip bobber rig having an elongated member carrying a slip bobber and a bobber stop with one end of the line securable to a fishing line and the other end of the line securable to an article of fishing tackle as well as a method of attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line without having to thread the fishing line through the slip bobber.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority from U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/130,891, filed May 17, 2005 and titledSlip Bobber Rig, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fishing rigs and, more specifically,to a slip bobber fishing rig that one can quickly attach to a fishingline.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of slip bobbers are known in the art. Typically, a line stop,which is small enough to pass through the eye on a fishing rod or reel,is secured to a fishing line to form either a one piece bobber stop orpart of a two piece bobber stop. In the two piece bobber stop, a bobberstop includes a hollow bead or the like that slides along the fishingline but because of the small passage therein the hollow bead cannotslide past the line stop, which is often a knot which is secured on thefishing line. While the slip bobber can slide freely along the line theslip bobber is restrained from sliding along the line by the coaction ofthe hollow bead and the line stop. For example, with the two piecebobber stop the line stop, which is often a string that is knotted tothe fishing line, prevents the hollow bead from sliding therepast sincethe opening in the hollow bead is such that while it can slide freelyalong the fishing line the passage is sufficiently small so that itcannot slide past the line stop. On the other hand the slip bobber,which has an opening that is sufficiently large so it would slide pastthe line stop but is prevented from sliding along the fishing line bythe exterior dimensions of the hollow bead which are larger than theinternal passage in the slip bobber. Thus, as the hollow bead stop cannot slide past the line stop and the slip bobber can not slide past thehollow bead the coaction of the hollow bead and the line stop form a twopiece bobber stop that prevents the slip bobber from sliding up theline.

As a consequence the slip bobber and hollow bead can slide along thefishing line as the user winds the fishing line on the fishing reel.Once the line is cast the line, which is normally weighted with asinker, slides through the slip bobber until the slip bobber is stoppedby the engagement of the hollow bead with the line stop. The advantageof the system is that during use the line stop, which is small, can bewound on the reel while the bobber stop and slip bobber can slide to theterminal end of the fishing line to provide for ease in casting.

If the slip bobber has a sufficiently small size opening so it can notpass over the knot forming the line stop it can form a one piece bobberstop. That is, the line stop is sufficiently small to pass through theline guide on the fishing reel but the same time the line stop issufficiently large so as to stop the slip bobber from sliding therepastthus eliminating the need for both a line stop and a hollow bead in theslip bobber rig.

One of difficulties with attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line isthat a fisherperson needs to individually thread each of the componentsof the slip bobber rig on the fishing line in the proper sequence. Inaddition, since the items are generally small they are difficult tohandle. That is, in a conventional method of attaching a slip bobber toa fishing line the fishing line is threaded into the hollow sleeve witha partly tied knot. Next, the hollow bead is threaded onto the fishingline. Finally, the slip bobber is threaded onto the fishing line and ahook or the like is secured to the free end of the fishing line. Thefield handling and assembling a slip bobber on a fishing line byindividually threading the fishing line through the line stop, thehollow bead, the slip bobber and the hook to the fishing line can becomefrustrating, particularly, if the weather conditions are less thanfavorable and fingers are wet and cold.

The invention described herein comprises a ready to use slip bobber rigthat can be quickly secured to a fishing line simply by attachment ofthe fishing line to the end of an elongated member that carries a bobberstop and a slip bobber. Once attached, the fisherperson can quicklyposition the line stop at the proper location on the line without havingto individually thread multiple components onto a fishing line thatoften can result in placing the components on the fishing line inimproper order for the slip bobber to function thus causing the personto have to rethread some or all of the components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A slip bobber rig comprising an elongated member carrying a slip bobberand a bobber stop with one end of the line securable to a fishing lineand the other end of the line securable to an article of fishing tackleas well as a method of attaching a slip bobber to a fishing line withouthaving to thread the fishing line through the slip bobber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a slip bobber rig for securing to afishing line;

FIG. 1A shows a slotted sleeve carrying a partially pretied knot;

FIG. 1B shows a partial section view of a bobber stop;

FIG. 2 shows the slip bobber rig attached to a fishing line;

FIG. 3 shows the slip bobber and stop having been slid onto the fishingline 25; and

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the slip bobber rig.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a ready to use slip bobber rig 10 forattachment to a fishing line with the slip bobber rig 10 comprising anelongated member 11 having a flexible line 11 a on the lower portion anda stiffer leader like member 11 b on the upper end. An eye 17 connectselongated member 11 a to elongated member 11 b and eye 18 allows one toconnect the fishing rig 10 to a fishing line. As shown the lower end 11a of elongated member 11 can attach to an article of fishing tackle,such as a fishing hook 13 or the like through a knot 14 or the like.

Located on the slip bobber rig 10 is a slip bobber 15 comprising a float15 a and an elongated tube 15 b extending therethrough with theelongated tube 15 b therein including an opening sufficiently large toallow slip bobber 15 to slide freely along a fishing line. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1 the fishhook 13 can form a stop to preventthe slip bobber 15 from sliding off the end of the elongated memberduring handling and attachment of the slip bobber rig to a fishing line.However, other articles of fishing tackle including sinkers or the likecould form a stop to retain the slip bobber 15 on the slip bobber rig 10during transport and handling of the slip bobber rig 10. Similarly, thesleeve 22 can be sized to form a handling stop so as to require a slightforce to slide the sleeve 22 over the eye 18 thus preventing the slipbobber 15 and hollow bead 20 from sliding off the leader like member 11.Thus, the slip bobber rig 10 with the various components can remain incondition for ready attachment to a fishing line.

FIG. 1 shows the leader like member 11 b includes a first eye 17 on oneend for securing to flexible line 11 a and a second eye 18 on theopposite end for securing to the fishing line on a fisherperson'sfishing reel. Located on leader like member 11 b is a hollow bead 20 anda sleeve 21 with a partially pretied knot 22 thereon that can be securedto the fishing line to form a line stop. A sleeve or tube 21 with thepartially pretied knot 22 located on the outside of an unslotted sleeveis known in the art and is sold by ROD-N-BOBB'S INC. of Eau Claire Wis.Typically, during individually assembly of a slip bobber on a fishingline the unslotted sleeve 21 is slipped onto a fishing line and apartially pretied knot, which is on the outside of the sleeve, is slidonto the line from the sleeve and the partially pretied knot is securedto the line by pulling on the protruding ends of the partiality pretiedknot The unslotted sleeve 21 or tube is then slide off the end of theline and discarded. The other components of the slip bobber system canthen be individually threaded onto the fishing line.

In the slip bobber rig shown in FIG. 1 the removability of the sleevefrom the leader like member or line is enhanced by providing a slottedsleeve 21. FIG. 1A shows the partially pretied knot 22 located on asleeve 21 having an elongated opening or slot 23 therein. Slotted sleeve21 differs from the prior art sleeves with partially pretied knots inthat sleeve 23 includes a lengthwise slot 21 a that allows the sleeve 21to be laterally removed from the leader like member 11 b or fishing linerather than having to slide the sleeve off the end of the fishing line.As can be seen in FIG. 1 the slip bobber 15, the hollow bead 20 and theslotted sleeve 22 are all located on a separate slip bobber rig 10 whichhas an eye 18 that can be secured to a fishing line.

In some instance the line stop 22, which comprises a knot, can alsofunction as the bobber stop for slip bobber rig 10. In thoseapplications the slip bobber 15 includes an opening that is sufficientlysmall so that it will not slide over the knot 22 on the fishing line.This embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 and does not require the hollow bead20.

In some cases the opening in the slip bobber is so large that if knot 22were made large enough to form a bobber stop the knot 22 could not bewound on the user's reel. That is, if the knot is too large the knotwould not pass through the guide on the fishing rod and reel and thusprevent the user from winding the fishing line on the reel. In thosecases, a separate hollow bead 20, is used that can slide along thefishing line with the bead having a sufficiently small passage that willnot pass over the knot 22 but having a sufficiently larger outerdimension that prevents the bobber 15 from sliding therepast. In thosecases the coaction of the line stop 22 and the hollow bead 20 coact toprevent the bobber 15 from sliding past the knot 22 on the fishing line.While it is important for the line with the line stop to be wound on thereel it is also important that the line with the knot can slide freelythrough the eye on the rod and reel as the slip bobber is cast. Thisembodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the hollow bead 20 has an innerdimension that is sufficiently large to allow the hollow bead 20 to slidalong the fishing line but has an outer dimension sufficiently large soas to prevent the slip bobber 15 from sliding thereover. Similarly, theeye 18 and the eye 17 on the leader like member 11 b have a dimensionsufficiently small so that the slip bobber 15 and the hollow bead 20 canslide thereover and onto the fishing line.

FIG. 1A shows an isolated view of removable sleeve 21 having alongitudinal slot 21 a that allows the sleeve 21 to be laterally slidfrom the fishing line when the knot 22 has been slide therefrom and ontothe fishing line.

FIG. 1B shows the hollow bead 20 for use when the line stop 22 formed bythe knot is sufficiently small so as to pass through the opening in theslip bobber 15. In this instance the opening 20 a in the hollow bead issufficiently small so as to engage knot 22 and the outside of hollowbead 20 is sufficiently large to prevent the slip bobber from passingover hollow bead 20. Thus the coaction of the line stop 22 and thehollow bead 20 provide for a positionable bobber rig wherein the openingin the slip bobber might be sufficiently large so as to normally passover the line stop formed by the line stop 22.

FIG. 2 shows a step in the process of securing the slip bobber rig 10 toa fishing line. In this view the fishing line 25 has been secured toupper eye 18 on the leader like member 11 b. The slotted sleeve 21 withthe partially pretied knot 22 thereon has been slid over the upper eye18 and onto the fishing line 25. In addition, the hollow bead 20 hasalso been slid over the eye 18 and onto the fishing line 25. The slipbobber rig 10 is now ready for the step of bringing the slip bobber 15into an operable condition.

FIG. 3 shows the partially pretied knot 22, which forms the line stop,has been removed from the slotted sleeve 21 and the ends 22 a and 22 bhave been pulled to bring the partially pretied knot 22 into a tiedcondition that can be positioned along a fishing line to form a linestop. That is, the purpose of knot 22 is to provide a stop on thefishing line 25 that can be forcible slid along the fishing line but isnormally held in position on fishing line 25 by the frictional forcesbetween knot 22 and line 25. In addition, the knot 22 is sufficientlysmall so that the knot can pass through the line guide on a rod and reelto allow the line with the knot 22 to be wound on the fishing reel.

While the knot 22 must be sufficiently small so as pass through theguide on the fishing reel it also must be sufficiently large so that thehollow bead 20, which can slide along the fishing line, can not passthereover. Consequently, when the hollow bead 20 engages the knot 22 thehollow bead 20 is prevented from moving up the fishing line. At the sametime the slip bobber 15 is prevented from sliding over the hollow bead20. Thus the knot 22 prevents hollow bead 20 from sliding up fishingline 25 and the hollow bead 20 prevents slip bobber 15 from sliding upfishing line 25.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 the slotted sleeve 21 has been removed fromfishing line 25 by sliding the slotted sleeve laterally off the fishingline 25. That is, the slot 21 a allows the sleeve 22 to be removed fromthe fishing line without having to slide the sleeve off the end of thefishing line. To complete the slip bobber fishing rig a sinker 26 can beattached to fishing line 25 and the free ends 22 a and 22 b of knot 22can be cut off. The slip bobber rig 10 is now in a ready to fishcondition.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the slip bobber rig 30 comprising anelongated member 31 having a first end 28 for securing to a fishing lineand a second end 29 for securing an article of fishing tackle thereto.Fishing rig 30 does not use a hollow bead 20. A slip bobber 15 iscarried on elongated member 31. A removable sleeve 21 is located onelongated member 31 with the removable sleeve 22 having a line stop suchas a pretied knot 22 thereon slidable positionable from the elongatedmember 21 to a fishing line to form a slip bobber stop having an outerdimension sufficiently large to prevent passage through slip bobber 15yet sufficiently small to be wound on a fishing reel.

Thus, the invention includes a field ready method of rigging a line witha slip bobber rig 30 comprising attaching one end of a slip bobber rig30 having a removable sleeve 21 with a line stop such as a partiallypretied knot 22 thereon to a free end of a fishing line. Sliding theremovable sleeve 21 onto the fishing line 31, removing the removablesleeve 21 from the fishing line and securing the pretied knot 22 to thefishing line to form a line stop on the fishing line that also functionsas a bobber stop.

In the embodiment with a removable sleeve the removable sleeve 21includes a slot to allow the sleeve to be slid laterally free of theline by passing the fishing line through the slot. However, other typesof removable sleeves could be used, for example, a cellulose sleeve thatdissolves in water or a sleeve that can be tom free of the line withoutdamaging the fishing line could also be used. In some instance theremovable sleeve need not be used if the knot 22 is provided withsufficient integrity so as to maintain its positionability from theelongated member to the fishing line. In addition other line stops thatcan be wound on a reel and positioned along the fishing line could beused in the invention thus eliminating the need for a sleeve. In theembodiment shown hollow bead 20 can be an elastomer bead or a solidbead. In addition, the leader like member, which can be wire like couldalso be a one piece flexible line such as a fishing line that can betied directly to the free end of the fishing line of the fisherperson.To maintain the ready-to-use rig one can prevent the bobber stop fromcoming off the rig during shipping and handling by securing a removabletag on the eyelet which is sufficiently large to prevent the bobber stopfrom sliding over the eyelet. The tag can contain instructions informingthe fisherperson that the line should be tied into the eyelet. Once theline is attached to the eyelet the tag can then be discarded with therig in a ready-to-use condition.

While a partly tied knot is shown in the preferred embodiment with theslip bobber fishing rig based on the teachings of the invention hereinit is envisioned that other line stops can be first mounted on the slipbobber fishing rig and then transferred to the fishing line after theslip bobber rig has been secured to the end of a fishing line.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for applying a line stop to a fishingline for slip bobber fishing, the fishing line having a single free end,the method comprising: providing a fishing apparatus for slip bobberfishing comprising a line stop and a hollow tube, the hollow tube havingan inner surface defining an inner diameter, an outer surface, a lengthdefined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing from theouter surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of thelength of the hollow tube, and the line stop encircling at least aportion of the outer surface of the hollow tube; placing a free end ofthe fishing line through the hollow tube from the first end to thesecond end; advancing the hollow tube over the fishing line; sliding theline stop off either the first end or the second end of the hollow tubeat a distance away from the free end of the fishing line; and removingthe hollow tube from the fishing line by passing the fishing linethrough the slot.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the line stopcomprises a partially pre-tied knot and applying a line stop to thefishing line further comprises tightening the knot against the fishingline at a distance away from the free end of the fishing line.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein a line forming the pre-tied knot comprisestwo free ends adjacent to the pre-tied knot.
 4. The method of claim 2,wherein a line forming the pre-tied knot comprises two free ends thatare similar distances away from the pre-tied knot.
 5. The method ofclaim 2, wherein upon tightening the knot to the fishing line, the knotcan be slidably repositioned along the fishing line.
 6. The method ofclaim 2, wherein tightening the knot against the fishing line comprisestightening the knot against only a fishing line.
 7. The method of claim1, further comprising attaching a hook to the free end of the fishingline, wherein the line stop is positioned on the fishing line at adistance away from the hook.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein thehollow tube is movable along the line to position the line stop at aposition on the fishing line.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein thefishing apparatus further comprises a slip bobber positioned on thefishing line and a hook attached to the fishing line at a free end ofthe fishing line, and removing the line stop comprises removing the linestop from the hollow tube on to the fishing line such that the bobber ispositioned between the hook and the line stop.
 10. The method of claim9, further comprising removing the hollow tube from the fishing line bypassing the fishing line through the slot with the bobber positionedbetween the hook and the hollow tube.
 11. The method of claim 9, whereinthe fishing apparatus further comprises a bead having a channeltherethrough with the fishing line passing through the channel and thebead being positioned on the fishing line between the hook and the linestop.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the channel in the bead has afirst opening and a second opening defining the channel through the beadand the bead is placed on the fishing line by passing the fishing linethrough the channel in the bead from the first opening to the secondopening.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising advancing thebead to the line stop, wherein the line stop has an outer diameter thatis greater than the inner diameter of the channel through the bead. 14.The method of claim 11, wherein the slip bobber has a channel passingthrough at least a portion of the length of the slip bobber and thechannel has an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter ofthe bead, whereby the slip bobber cannot pass over the bead.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising attaching an article of fishingtackle to the fishing line.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the beadcomprises an elastic bead.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the slotpasses along the entire length of the hollow tube.
 18. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the hollow tube is configured to be removed from thefishing line when both ends of the fishing line are connected to fishingarticles having a dimension greater than the inner diameter of thehollow tube.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the fishing apparatusfurther comprises one or more of a fishing rod, a fishing reel, a hook,a slip bobber, a sinker, an article of fishing tackle, and a swivel. 20.The method of claim 1, wherein the line stop comprises a string or wire.21. The method of claim 20, wherein the string or wire is a separatearticle from the fishing line.
 22. A method for applying a line stop toa fishing line, the method comprising: providing a fishing apparatuscomprising a line stop and a hollow tube, the hollow tube having aninner surface defining an inner diameter, an outer surface, a lengthdefined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing from theouter surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of thelength of the hollow tube, and the line stop encircling at least aportion of the outer surface of the hollow tube; placing a free end ofthe fishing line through the hollow tube from the first end to thesecond end; advancing the hollow tube over the fishing line; sliding theline stop off either the first end or the second end of the hollow tube;tightening the line stop against the fishing line; removing the hollowtube from the fishing line by passing the fishing line through the slot;and attaching a hook to the free end of the fishing line, wherein theline stop is positioned on the fishing line at a distance away from thehook such that the line stop is not in contact with the hook.
 23. Amethod for applying a line stop to a fishing line for slip bobberfishing, the method comprising: providing a fishing apparatus for slipbobber fishing comprising a line stop and a hollow tube, the hollow tubehaving an inner surface defining an inner diameter, an outer surface, alength defined by a first end and a second end, and a slot passing fromthe outer surface to the inner surface along at least a portion of thelength of the hollow tube, and the line stop encircling at least aportion of the outer surface of the hollow tube; placing a fishing linethrough the hollow tube from the first end to the second end; advancingthe hollow tube over the fishing line; sliding the line stop off eitherthe first end or the second end of the hollow tube; removing the hollowtube from the fishing line by passing the fishing line through the slot;and tightening the knot to the fishing line, wherein the knot isslidably repositionable along the fishing line after tightening the knotto the fishing line, wherein the line stop comprises a string or wireconfigured as a pre-tied knot having two free ends, the two free endsbeing positioned adjacent to the pre-tied knot.